


Moving In For The Kiss

by out_there



Category: The O.C.
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-08-04
Updated: 2004-08-04
Packaged: 2017-10-07 15:49:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/66641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/out_there/pseuds/out_there
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I want to kiss you."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moving In For The Kiss

**Author's Note:**

> Shamelessly inspired by Signe's OC manip, Shy Kiss. (Not currently online.) Thanks to both [](http://hyperfocused.livejournal.com/profile)[**hyperfocused**](http://hyperfocused.livejournal.com/) and [](http://oxoniensis.livejournal.com/profile)[**oxoniensis**](http://oxoniensis.livejournal.com/) for betaing. (And smooches to [](http://celli.livejournal.com/profile)[**celli**](http://celli.livejournal.com/) for cheerleading and to [](http://thete1.livejournal.com/profile)[**thete1**](http://thete1.livejournal.com/) for checking my fanboy-speak.)

Seth talks, and Ryan shrugs. Not that he isn't paying attention to the constant stream of words -- the comparison of Batman's relationship with each Robin and the diatribe on why Jason Todd was doomed right from the start -- but Ryan's trying to hear what Seth doesn't say. Of course, Seth doesn't make that easy.

"Have you even been listening to me?" The question isn't angry or upset, it's just Seth trying to make sure he's not annoying anyone; Seth trying to draw attention without drawing attention. "At all?"

"I've been listening."

"Yeah?"

Ryan raises an eyebrow at him, waiting for more words, but Seth stays quiet.

"Robin number two had to die, and he was more screwed up than the other two combined," Ryan says as he turns the page. On the edge of his vision, Ryan catches Seth's eyes flickering to his mouth. It's not the first time he's noticed Seth doing that. He just wishes he knew if Seth does it on purpose. "It goes without saying that Tim's kind of a psycho. And neither of them will ever be as cool as Dick."

He glances at Seth, and they both smirk at the unspoken double entendre.

"If I'm talking too much, man, just say. I can be quiet. I respect a guy's right to absorb the latest issue of Nightwing in peace." Seth runs a hand through his hair, grinning at the issue spread out on Ryan's lap. "It's a *really* good twist. Seriously, when you get to page-- No. I'll let you read. It's too good to spoil."

Nodding, Ryan turns back to the comic. It's Saturday morning, and they're both stretched out in the pool house, ostensibly to read through the latest issues. In reality, Seth's already read these issues more than once. This morning ritual just gives Seth an excuse to talk about them at length.

Which would be fine if Ryan was actually reading them. He's not. He's skimming over the dialogue and spending most of his time watching Seth read. His hair is messy, sticking up in haphazard curls. His fingers tap out a rapid beat on the couch cushion and it's as close to still as Seth gets in his natural habitat. Seth takes his superheroes seriously, very seriously. Seth's read these issues before, but he still wears that tiny frown of concentration, brows drawn together as he reads.

Ryan finds his attention drawn to Seth's mouth, watching it quirk into an almost-smile or tighten when the action starts. He finds himself hoping that issue will have some tense, confusing scene, something that will make Seth worry his bottom lip as he flips the pages.

He's still staring when Seth glances up.

"What is it?" Seth asks, quickly wiping at his mouth. "Do I have Count Chocula residue?"

Ryan shakes his head, trying not to watch Seth's fingers skirt around his lips. "No."

"Then what were you staring at?" Ryan shakes his head again, but Seth doesn't let it go. "Come on, we're supposed to be friends. Best friends, even. If there's something embarrassing and/or amusing going on, you're supposed to tell me."

"It's nothing." Ryan ducks his head, turning back to his comic.

"It's nothing generally means it's something that people will only laugh about behind my back. You're bombing one of the basic tests of friendship, here."

"Maybe I was just thinking," Ryan replies without looking up.

"Which I'd believe if you were wearing your 'Ryan isn't here at the moment, please leave a message after the beep' face." Seth is one of the few people that can actually say a sentence like that perfectly seriously. "But you weren't. So what were you staring at?"

"You."

Seth blinks at him and swallows. Then he starts to color, and Ryan knows Seth understood what he meant. Which means that Seth's glances aren't accidental. Which means... a lot, actually.

Seth breaks eye contact and stands up, desperately trying to appear nonchalant. "If you're going to be like that, I'd better go inside and check a mirror."

It's a few steps over to the glass door, and Ryan stops Seth with a hand on his wrist. "You don't need to do that. You look," he says, and then pauses, trying to work out the right word. Grinning at Seth, he shrugs and continues, "Good."

"Ah." Seth's eyes flicker down to Ryan's lips, to Ryan's hand on his arm, and then back to Ryan's mouth again. Ryan grins wider as he drops Seth's wrist and leans his shoulder against Seth. Seth swallows again but he's still staring at Ryan's lips, and he's not moving away. Ryan leans closer and Seth's arm wraps around his shoulders, apparently without permission from Seth. Seth looks a little stunned. "Um..."

"I want to kiss you."

Seth's tongue darts across his lower lip. "That would be... um..."

They're standing close enough that Ryan can smell the Count Chocula Seth had for breakfast, can feel the puffs of warm air as Seth's breathing speeds up. "Good?" Ryan teases gently, leaning closer.

"Um, yeah." Seth nods slightly, gaze fixed on Ryan's mouth, and Ryan wonders why he'd never noticed Seth's dark eyelashes before. "Good. Extremely... good."

Curling his fingers around Seth's jaw, Ryan leans in. Seth's lips are warm and soft, and just a little sweet. Ryan tilts his head, pressing closer, and then Seth opens his mouth and just dives into the kiss. He sucks on Ryan's top lip, using teeth and tongue in an impressive display of natural talent. It's good -- it's *very* good -- and Ryan stops trying to hold back.

Ryan steps closer, pressing his chest against Seth's, pinning Seth against the glass. The arm around Ryan's shoulders tightens, and Seth's other hand is clinging onto his upper arm. Seth's mouth tastes of cocoa and sugar, and Ryan thinks this could be the best Saturday he's ever spent in Orange County.

He weasels a hand under the edge of Seth's t-shirt and Seth gasps as he trails fingers back and forth over the bare skin of Seth's stomach. When he hooks his fingers under Seth's waistband, Seth drops his head to Ryan's shoulder and pants out, "Dude. Stop."

Ryan pulls his hand back. "Okay."

"We're in the pool house," Seth says, keeping his head tucked against Ryan's shoulder.

Ryan blinks and waits for Seth to make sense. Sometimes there's a long delay between Seth saying words and everyone else understanding them.

"Pool house," Seth repeats.

"So?"

"Pool house. Glass windows." Seth pulls back just far enough to look Ryan in the eye. "In plain view of my *parents*."

"Ah."

"Exactly." Seth pulls a face. He looks like he just bit into a very sour orange. "Not that I'm not getting into this, because I'm *totally* getting into this, but my parents seeing would be a bad thing. A very bad thing. On the scale of the Joker running Gotham bad."

Ryan nods. "It would be bad."

Seth continues as if he didn't speak. "Plus, it would lead to some pretty big conversations, and I don't have big answers right now. I don't think I have any answers right now. None at all. You could ask me any question right now and I wouldn't know the answer. I wouldn't know anything. I don't know anything, apart from the fact that I like this, and I like you, and I like doing this with you, and please God, shut me up now."

Ryan leans forward and kisses Seth until the panicked expression leaves his eyes. Then he kisses him once more, just for fun. "Better?"

Seth grins happily. "Yeah. Much better."

Having Seth's parents see them cuddling probably wouldn't be much better than seeing them making out, so Ryan takes a few steps back. Seth looks as disappointed as Ryan feels.

"So what do we do now?" Ryan asks with a sigh.

"Finish reading this week's issues?" Seth tries hopefully.

Ryan nods, looking over at the abandoned Nightwing. "Okay." He sits down on the bed again, but Seth remains by the window for a few long moments.

"Ryan, I think we need to stop doing the Saturday comics reading sessions," Seth says seriously as he walks over and picks up his issues of Batman. Seth looks serious, but there's a teasing glint in his eye that makes Ryan wonder what he's up to. "No offense or anything, but I don't think the pool house, being so close to a large body of water, is a safe place for my comics."

"No?"

"No. I think we need to change locations to my bedroom, which is a good distance from any large bodies of water," Seth replies quickly. "Plus, it has curtains and a door that locks. Which are both very important for looking after comics."

Ryan tries to keep a straight face. "Very important."

"In fact," Seth says firmly, "I think we should change locations right now."

Ryan smiles broadly, and starts picking up the comics lying around. "You're just one step away from being a supervillain, aren't you?"

Seth laughs. "I only use my powers for good."

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback can be left here or on [Livejournal](http://out-there.livejournal.com/537554.html?mode=reply).


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